The Nation Newspaper

Category: Consumer Watch

  • CPC, SON accuse manufacturers of short-changing consumers

    CPC, SON accuse manufacturers of short-changing consumers

    The Director General, Consumer Protection Council of Nigeria (CPC), Mrs. Dupe Atoki, has accused manufacturers and retailers of short-changing consumers by their failure to honour guarantee/warranty terms and abuse of consumer rights with ouster clauses such as ‘no refund of money after payment’ and ‘goods received in good condition cannot be returned’ on their receipts, while the DG, Standard of Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Paul Angya, wondered if the statement was in anticipation of a product failure.

    Both DGs made the allegations recently in Sheraton Lagos at the interactive forum of CPC with stakeholders on enforcement of warranty and guarantee on products and services.

    The DG, CPC, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, while addressing key industry operators in automobile, electrical/electronics, heavy duty equipment, on-line markets and superstores subsectors of the nation’s economy, regretted that Nigeria was the only country where such clauses are printed on receipts.

    “The situation in Nigeria is a sharp contrast as traders boldly print on purchase receipts terms like ‘no refund of money after payment’ and ‘goods received in good condition cannot be returned’. It is unacceptable that a producer, distributor or trader will attempt to completely vitiate the right of the consumer to redress by caveats of this nature.”

    Describing the situation as intolerable, Mrs. Atoki said that manufacturers and retailers will be given a time frame to remove the statements from their receipts warning that at the expiration of the time frame, the agency will come hard on those who refuse to comply.

    Expatiating, she said, “the statement should not be a blanket statement, it should be subjective. Take each situation and analyse it fundamentally,” adding that on the face value the product may look okay while it may have manufacturer’s defect which can only be detected when the buyer puts it to use.

    The CPC boss stated that “worse still is the fact that even multinational corporations that adhere strictly to the tenets of implied or specified guarantee and warranty in other countries, come up with all sorts of devices in Nigeria to renege on same.”

    While describing the situation as unacceptable, she advised businesses operating in the country to emulate their counterparts in other climes where “the concept of guarantee and warranty is taken for granted because manufacturers in those countries do not only strive to produce according to specifications, but also make after sales service an integral part of their marketing strategy.

    “As a result, businesses in such climes have clearly articulated policies on return, repair, replacement or refund of money for products which do not meet the expectation of consumers,” she added.

     The Director General observed that the almost non-existent after-sales service culture among businesses in Nigeria has denied Nigerian consumers of simple redress of their complaints without the intervention of the council.

    According to her, “it is a common occurrence to see businesses invent reasons to justify why consumers should not derive the desired benefits from their purchases,” noting further that “it is disheartening, for instance, to see a consumer purchase a product, which should serve for a number of years, but malfunctions after a few weeks, without any indication of support from the supplier.

    “In countries where consumer satisfaction is at the heart of business, such occurrences will trigger a spate of investigations to enable the producer unravel the real cause of the problem, with a view to forestalling same in future. But here in Nigeria, save for evidence of purchase receipts, some companies will go as far as disowning the product.”

    Atoki insisted that for abuse of consumer rights to be drastically contained in Nigeria, “businesses must, as a basic minimum, adhere to the tenets of guarantee and warranty.”

     She argued that “as government begins to push for diversification, which will lead to increased production, sustaining the interest of Nigerian consumers in made-in-Nigeria products will hinge on quality and entrenchment of guarantee and warranty in our business culture,” stating that “a poor quality product that fails to give value for money without consumer remedies will eventually lead to a closure of the business.

    “For government to successfully diversify the nation’s economy, businesses in Nigeria must work hard to earn the confidence of consumers, both home and abroad. However, consumer confidence can only be earned when businesses produce quality products and services and adopt best practices in their relationship with consumers, particularly with respect to ensuring value for money,” Atoki noted.

    The DG explained that the council’s meeting with the industry operators was “to deliberate on modalities for ensuring the sanctity of guarantee and warranty in the country,” advising the operators not to see the drive to entrench guarantee and warranty in the nation’s business culture as only a means at protecting consumer rights, but as “a push for the survival of businesses, as it will help to make Nigerian products and services competitive in the global marketplace.”

    Lending credence to what the CPC boss said, Dr. Paul Angya of SON lamented that retailers print ‘goods sold in good condition cannot be returned’ on receipts while wondering if “this is in anticipation of a product failure or a guarantee on the quality of a product.”

    Decrying the anomaly, the SON DG noted that the standards of product liability NIS 506, 2006 stipulates that suppliers of goods and services have the responsibility and obligation to ensure that defective products and services are not sold to consumers.

    Barrister Ken Ukaoha, President, National Association of Nigerian Traders[NANTs], in his address, regretted that traders are usually blamed when the terms of guarantee and warranty are not implemented.

    Noting that the traders are not necessarily the manufacturers, he emphasised that it is the manufacturers who can implement the warranty and not the traders.

    “Traders are just the intermediary and their roles should be clearly specified,” he said.

    However, he advised aggrieved consumers to always contact the market task force when they have any issue with a retailer. “If you have any problem, ask for the chairman of the market taskforce and if the problem is not resolved at this stage, contact the market chairman and if the case still persists, contact the NANTs headquarters or CPC.”

    Commending the CPC for organising such an interactive event, he said there was need for more of such programmes to encourage interactions between sellers and buyers.

  • LG introduces new OLED Tunnel

    LG Electronics (LG) on Friday welcomed visitors to its IFA 2016 exhibition booth with an awe-inspiring and immersive OLED Tunnel measuring a record-breaking 5mtall, 7.4m wide and 15m in length. A total of 216 separate 55-inch curved OLED signage displays were assembled to create the unique structure comprising 447,897,600, nearly half a billion pixels to display a collection of breathtaking scenes including Iceland’s Aurora Borealis, underwater ecosystems and deep space footage.

    A video titled “From Black to Black”was produced  by LG to include footage that accentuates  the life like colours and the ability to recreate the miniscule details of life which LG’s OLED technology delivers. The footage includes the black ocean with effervescent jellyfish and the gentle movement of whales, as well as scenes from deep black space and the brilliant northern lights on a black sky. LG captured footage of Iceland’sNorthern Lights using 14 separate 8K cameras to record every detail and movement as accurately as possible.

    Other video clips such as underwater scenes and shots taken from space will create a fully immersive environment for visitors, making them feel as if they are swimming in the ocean or floating in the Milky Way. At IFA, attendees will have the chance to see how closely the advanced technology of OLED can recreate the great outdoors inside an  exhibition  hall.

    The impressive scale of the display tunnel is made possible by OLED’s ultra-thin, highly flexible lightweight panels. OLED displays can be custom bent to concave or convex formations without any picture quality distortion, allowing for spectacular digital installations such as immersive tunnel-like environments. Each OLED pixel can switch itself on and off, eliminating the need for backlighting. OLED TVs have the ability to render true black and infinite contrast ratio that delivers vibrant, eye-popping colour and wide viewing angles.

    “It was 50 years ago this year that LG produced its first television and our OLEDTunnel at IFA 2016 is designed to celebrate this milestone with another milestone the coming of OLED TV,”said Brian Kwon, president of LG Home Entertainment Company.”We’re offering visitors to our booth at IFA the opportunity to experience OLED’s revolutionary image rendering capability complete with perfect black, infinite contrast ratio andrealistic colours from any angle.”

    IFA event which will be ending on Wednesday is the world’s leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances.

  • Chi rewards consumers

    Chi Limited, Nigeria’s market leader in fruit juices and beverages has rewarded its growing consumer publics with mouthwatering prizes and gifts for staying loyal to the brand.

    As part of the process to reward the consumers, the beverage company perfected a series of social media contest and specifically targeted those of its consumers who are active across all the leading social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

    Among the promos flagged by the company include among others: ‘My 100% Achievement Contest’ and ‘Tea Side of Life Promo’for Chivita 100% fruit juice, and Chi Ice Tea  as well as the Hollandia Yoghurt’s ‘Colours of Goodness Contest’, Chi Happy Hour ‘Burst of Refreshment Dance Contest’, Chi Exotic ‘My Exotic Weekend Promo’ and Chivita Active ‘Vegetable fruit Mix Promo.’

    At the prize presentation ceremony held recently in Lagos, lucky winners were rewarded with mouthwatering& exciting prizes including Smartphones, Laptops, iPads, iPhones, Game Consoles, Gift Vouchers, Exquisite Dinner vouchers and Products Packs of the various brands.

    According to Head of Marketing, Probal Bhattacharya, Chi Limited, “we congratulate winners of the various social media promos. For us, we will not relent in our effort to ensure that consumers get the utmost satisfaction in their daily experiences with our brands”

    Faith Igberase, one of the lucky winners who smiled home with a smartphone from the Chi Ice Tea Side of Life Promo, expressed delight with the promo.

    She stated that the promo offered her an avenue to express her creativity. “It was also a veritable platform to build an online community of Chi Ice Tea consumers to network and project a brand that has continued to be a source of refreshment.”

  • Safety tips for converting from gasoline to propane generator

    Safety tips for converting from gasoline to propane generator

    Make sure the Gas cylinder and Generator are outside the home. This is very important because the generator needs ventilation and the gas needs to be in an open space to dilute and weaken the gas in case of gas leakages.

    • Do not always remove your hose when refilling the gas cylinder as this will help to reduce or eradicate gas leakages through the hose.
    • Make sure the conversion kit is well installed. This is very important, though the installation of the conversion kit is simple but can be very dangerous if not properly installed.
    • Consider installing propane gas detectors. In some circumstances, you may not smell a propane leak. Propane gas detectors are designed to sound an alarm if it senses the presence of propane. Their operation does not depend on the concentration of odorant in the air, just the propane concentration at the detector. Propane gas detector can provide you an additional measure of security that is why the quality of the detector is also equally important. To be sure propane detectors operate properly, install and maintain them as the manufacturer recommends.

    *Do not run out of gas. Serious safety hazards, including fire or explosion can result. If an appliance valve or gas line is left open when the propane supply runs out, a leak could occur when the system is recharged with propane.

  • CPC, NCAA square off over ill-fated Turkish flight

    CPC, NCAA square off over ill-fated Turkish flight

    The ill-fated Turkish Airlines Flight TK 623 from Istanbul to Abuja, in which some passengers suffered some privations, has led to a chain of reactions.

    At issue is that Turkish Airlines and the Consumer Protection Council [CPC] are at loggerheads amid claims of non compensation from some air passengers. But top officials of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority [NCAA] are wondering why CPC should insist on the airline responding to their summons while NCAA with the sole responsibility of regulating the aviation industry has already resolved the issue in contention.

    “The airline under the supervision of the Consumer Protection Officers[CPO] of NCAA ensured that all the passengers whose luggage were delayed in the ill-reputed Flight TK 623 from Istanbul to Abuja were paid full monetary compensation as contained in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations,” disclosed a Director of the Aviation regulatory Agency in his office.

    However, investigations by The Nation revealed that on the contrary, some of the passengers had not been compensated, almost seven months after the ugly incident.

    Speaking from his office at the Aviation House, Murtala Muhammed Airport, the Director who craved anonymity, said that “Turkish Airline probably did not respond to CPC because they know that Section 30[1] [a] [b] and [c] of the Civil Aviation Act 2006 gives NCAA the general power to regulate Civil Aviation in Nigeria.”

    Giving credibility to what the Director said, Anaso Kalu, the Assistant General Manager, Consumer Protection NCAA said “as far as NCAA is concerned, Turkish Airline has done everything expected of it in reimbursing the passengers and the case has been closed.”

    Speaking further, he stressed that the airline paid the prescribed compensation to all the passengers whose luggage were delayed and a cargo flight and an airbus were arranged to freight to Abuja all contentious backlog of baggage that were earlier short landed.

    Summoning one of the staff to bring the official folder, with the documents relating to the Airline and the aggrieved air passengers, flipping and perusing through the paper work, he disclosed that various amounts, ranging from N10,000-N40,000 was paid as compensations to the passengers as stipulated by the NCAA.

    Also the Assistant General Manager, Public Relations NCAA, Joe Mohammed Jimoh said he could not comprehend the reason why CPC still wanted the Airline to furnish it with the details of the resolution when it is aware that NCAA had already handled the matter successfully.

    While availing the correspondent, an official statement which emanated from the department, entitled ‘Turkish Airlines compensates aggrieved passengers’, Joe Mohammed however regretted that this would not be the first time that CPC would be encroaching on NCAA’s territory.

    Conceding that there may be passengers who may not be satisfied with the amount paid out, Jimoh noted that compensation is negotiable. Everyone will not receive the same thing and you know what our people are, some will be expecting a lot of money.

    Reacting to the latest development, an Assistant Director of CPC, Abuja, who craved anonymity, said the fact that NCAA has supposedly resolved the issue is not an excuse for the officials of the Turkish Airline not to oblige CPC with detailed steps taken to provide redress and compensation to the affected passengers.

    Speaking from his Abuja office in a telephone interview, the Director said: “Even if they have settled the passengers, they should let us know. It is not right for them to refuse to provide CPC with the update. They should tell us the people that have been compensated. What we are saying is that the right thing should be done.”

    However reports from some quarters of NCAA and from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja indicate that not all the affected passengers have been compensated. A staff of NCAA, at the Aviation House, who pleaded anonymity, said that about 20per cent of the passengers involved are yet to be compensated.

    Another bitter passenger, a lady with children who asked not to be named in a telephone interview, said they were subjected to untold hardship. “I made several trips from my base in Kaduna to Abuja to get my luggage, incurring a lot of expenses.”

    Sequel to this event, last week, the Federal Government dragged the Turkish Airlines before a Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged criminal violation of the enabling law of the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) and for impunity.

    It would be recalled that the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN) filed a three-count charge against the airline and two of its principal officers, Liker Ayci and Rasak Shobowale, the airline’s Board Chairman and Commercial Manager respectively before Federal High Court 11 in Abuja.

    The prosecution became pertinent because of the consistent refusal of Turkish Airlines to respond to lawful requests of CPC for a full situation report on the airline’s alleged shoddy treatment of passengers of Flight 623 from Istanbul to Abuja on 25th and 31st of December 2015 and 9th of January 2016, which prompted the Council to approach the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation for the prosecution of the airline.

    According to the charge list with number FHC/ABJ/CR/147/21, the Federal Government alleged that the three accused persons between the 20thDecember 2015 and March 2016 “without sufficient cause refused to provide the Consumer Protection Council documents on Turkish Airlines’ policy on delayed baggage”, thereby committing an offence punishable under section 18 of the CPC Act.

    It could be recalled that the passengers of the said flights, some of whom were said to have travelled with minors, including those whose destinations were outside Abuja, were allegedly subjected to untold hardships, as they were forced to repeatedly check the Airport in Abuja on the fate of their baggage, thereby incurring extra and unbudgeted expenditure, including hotel accommodation without any form of support by the airline.

    Following the report of the incident, CPC in a letter to the airline, dated December 29, 2015, signed by its Director General, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, requested the airline to provide it with a full situation report of the said events, including Turkish Airline’s policy on delayed baggage, particularly as regards the compensation of affected passengers, the number of affected passengers, the number of those yet to receive their baggage and when same was expected to arrive, including steps, if any, that had been taken to provide appropriate redress to the affected passengers.

    But the airline in a belated response to CPC failed to give any useful information on the issues raised by the Council, stating instead that it had attended several meetings with different agencies of government in connection with the matter.

  • OneCard launches N20, N50 multipurpose call vouchers

    OneCard Nigeria, a fast moving consumer goods company has introduced N20 and N50 denominations of its multi-purpose recharge card nationwide. OneCard is the first of its kind in the globe with unique ability to recharge multiple services.

    The N20 & N50 variant recharges all mobile networks with one single code *979*PIN#. Mr Tunde Odulaja, Chairman OneCard Nigeria while speaking on this development said the company is committed to providing easy and convenient recharge solutions for all Nigerians in all cadres of society.

    He said: “OneCard is excited to be providing more flexible recharge options to Nigerians with the small denominated cards.”

    Also speaking on the N20 & N50 cards, GM, OneCard Nigeria, Mr Femi Muka, said the introduction is also a response by the company to demands for lower denominations from the market. He explained that the N20 & N50 denominated recharge cards will be useful for both voice and data needs and complements the efforts of various operators in serving every Nigerian.

    OneCard Nigeria is a technology based fast moving consumer goods company that provide stop-up solutions on multiple platforms for various services like mobile phones, toll fees, pay television,   electricity   and   a   lot   more   nationwide.

  • LG unveils signature collection

    LG unveils signature collection

    The relatively big show office of LG Electronics at Lekki Phase 1, Victoria Island, Lagos played host to journalists last week as Media men converged for a Press Briefing, as the electronic giant unveiled it’s signature collection.

    Addressing journalists, the Company’s Head of Corporate Marketing, LG Electronics West Africa operations, Mr. Rajesh Agnihotri said “the signature collection which comprises of the company’s major electronics has been designed to ensure consumers get value for their money.”

    According to him, LG washing machines which is one of the product in the signature collection have overtime proven to be unparalleled when it comes to performance and value. Its expanded washing machine range is specifically designed for simple living. Today, consumers have come to expect more from household appliances in terms of innovation, design and performance; LG continually delivers products that guarantee safety, reliability and durability adding to the credibility of the brand.

    On the company’s refrigerators, he explained that they are equipped with several features like Inverter linear compressor for the Side by Side and Smart Inverter Compressor for the Top Mount Fridges that provide consumers with the utmost in convenience, such as the new Easy Open Handle. The Hygiene fresh plus in the refrigerator works like an air purifier in the fridge automatically ensuring that food items stay longer and fresher providing consumers the much desired hygiene and serenity at home.

  • Coca-Cola’s “Taste the Feeling” studio bus excites Lagosians

    It has been over two months since Coca-Cola introduced its “Taste the Feeling” anthem, yet covers for the song have not stopped coming from top-notch Nigerian musicians. In an exciting twist, the anthem is now on the streets of Lagos for fresh, untapped talents to showcase their skill and record their own cover of song.

    In the last few days, the state-of-the-art Coca-Cola studio bus has been on tour of popular Lagos Neighbourhoods to give young musical talents an opportunity to jump on the trend of Popular Nigerian artistes and do their own cover of the hit anthem.

    One of the participants, 15-year-old Taiwo Hassan, who got a chance to record his cover in the studio bus, when it made a stop at Shitta, Surulere said, “I feel like a superstar right now. I never thought I would drop my own cover of the “Taste the Feeling” anthem just like my favourite artiste 2Face did. I will cherish this moment forever.”

    The young star also got to perform his cover before a large crowd. “It was a wonderful experience; one that I would relish for a long time,” he said. At the Iyana Ipaja, Ketu, Ogba and Festac axis where the studio bus activation also took place, it was a delight watching participants belt new and interesting versions of the anthem. In the end, Participants who made the crowd’s top three were presented with the Samsung J6, J4 and J2 phones respectively.

    Nkechi Ekeanya with stage name “Nikky” who didn’t make it to the top 3, shared that she was simply excited at being able to record and perform the “Taste the Feeling” anthem. “Well, I got a chance to record my own version of Simi’s cover of the “Taste the Feeling” anthem, and I think I sounded just like her with a touch of Nikky flavor,” she said.

    Commenting on the “Taste the Feeling” studio bus activation, Cletus Onyebuoha, Marketing Manager, Coca-Cola Nigeria described the activation as one of Coca-Cola’s engagement initiatives designed to give vent to the passion of the Nigerian Teens.”Music is one of the ways teenagers express themselves.

  • Unsolicited calls/sms: Telcos guilty as charged

    Unsolicited calls/sms: Telcos guilty as charged

    Over thirty days after the directive from the Nigerian Commu-nication Commission [NCC] to telecommunication companies to allow subscribers the freedom of receiving messages and calls they deem fit, subscribers are still being bothered with unsought-for calls and messages.

    Though most of the major telecommunication providers like MTN, Nigeria, GLOBACOM, Etisalat, and Airtel have introduced a new feature ‘Do Not Disturb'[DND] that is supposed to allow their subscribers decide whether to receive Short Message Service [SMS] on their mobile phone, it does not, however,  give the customer the opportunity of deciding which calls or messages he can receive from the service provider.

    What this implies is that the DND service is only applicable to third party services like religious bodies, banks, etcetera, while irrelevant and unsolicited SMS messages/calls from the telecommunication companies themselves will be delivered.

    Only last week, 65-year-old Chief YinkaAdetola said she sprained her ankle as she was rushing to pick her phone only to realise the call was an irritant one from MTN.

    For Mrs. IfeomaAneke, she rammed into another car as she was driving and rummaging in her bag with another hand as her phone rang persistently. “You can imagine my annoyance and disgust when I realised it was only a call from my network provider.”

    Revealing his disappointment, Cyril Onwuchekwa, said he had thought that all unsolicited SMS and calls would have stopped after July 1st, like the sector’s regulatory body, NCC, had indicated.

    Some of the aggrieved subscribers who spoke to Consumer Watch, like Samuel Adegbite, said he sent his complaints to NCC but the terse reply was that he should activate 2442.

    “What NCC needs to understand is that 2442 does not stop unsolicited SMS from MTN, GLO, Etisalat and Airtel but only third party messages such as bulk SMS and VAS,” complainedAdegbite.

    “The messages I find most disturbing is the ones that I get from 55505 from Etisalat. It reads in part ‘Christino Ronaldo is waiting for you. Reply yes to get every information about Christino Ronaldo,’”related Grace Itoro.

    Continuing, Itoro said that the annoying messages she is also receiving daily from MTN and Airtel is so distracting that NCC should please do something about it.

    Only recently, GLOBACOM said in a press statement that its subscribers now have the ability to control unsolicited text messages and calls with DND.

    The company urged customers to take advantage of the service by texting ‘help’ to 2442 to receive a list of fields from which they want to receive or block unsolicited messages.

    It said that subscribers who wish to receive information on banking, insurance and financial products can send 1 to 2442, while subscribers are required to send 2 to 2442 to receive information on real estate. To receive information on education, subscribers only need to send 3 to the short code 2442.

    Subscribers should, however, go through the details of the new service before deciding on which one to settle for. It should be noted that the new service, DND, has two main features which are partially blocked mode and full blocked mode. The latterallows customers to completely block their lines from receiving all kinds or promotional messages through SMS.This automatically blocks all bulk SMS messages from getting to your line, it may also include bank SMS alerts and/or related messages. The other mode which is the partially blocked mode allows customers the flexibility of filtering promotional messages they wish to receive by unchecking their areas of interest ranging from banking/insurance, health, education, real estate, sports, religion, automobile, entertainment, tourism, etcetera. Any category selected is blocked, meaning if you wish to receive from any category, you have to uncheck it manually from the service configuration panel.

    Meanwhile, after activating 2442, if you want to check if your line is active on DND, text the word STATUS to 2442 and wait for a response.

    To deactivate, text the word ALLOW to 2442 and you will be allowed to receive all your messages normally again. To be very sure you have been unsubscribed, SMS the word STATUS again to 2442 and feedback will be given to you. If after these steps, you are still unable to receive some messages, then you will need to unsubscribe manually from the website of your service provider.

    It will be recalled that the NCC gave the network operators up till June 30th 2016 to stop sending unsolicited SMS or calls to subscribers or face sanctions from the regulatory body.

    A document, dated April 19, which emanated from the legal and regulatory department of the government regulatory agency and directed to network operators showed that the telephone firms risk N5million fine if they fail to comply and further N500,000 per day for as long as the contravention persists.

    As to be expected, there was jubilation from subscribers that the NCC was finally taking a proactive step, after years of complaints from subscribers. But it seems that despite NCC directives on unsolicited SMS, operators are still indulging in the practice of sending these messages at odd hours, thereby infringing on the rights of individuals for a decent rest.

    The commission said it had been inundated with complaints from subscribers about the menace of unsolicited SMS and calls from mobile newtowrk operators (MNOs) which had impacted negatively on consumer quality experience in the telecommunications industry.

  • “33” export lager beer hosts Nigerian friends

    Export Premium Lager Beer, which prides itself as Nigeria’s number one friendship beer, recently hosted friends across the country to an evening of games, food, good music and all-round fun at the “33” Export Beer ‘Friendship Parties’, as part of event to commemorate the World Friendship Day.

    The event, which held in 20 locations across five cities saw many loyal fans of the brand rewarded.

    “The “33” Export Beer brand, which is the code of friendship, is about increasing the bond between friends and loved ones,” said the Brand Manager, Mfon Bassey.

    “The World Friendship Day is a day that defines the special moments that brings the world together to acknowledge and foster the feeling of mutual understanding and solidarity. As a brand that celebrates the special bond between friends, the “33” Friendship parties are about celebrating those wonderful moments and days in the lives of our wonderful customers,” Bassey stressed.

    The parties held simultaneously in bars, restaurants, and clubs in Uyo, Benin, Port Harcourt, Osogbo, Badagry, Calabar, Eket, Agbor, Surulere and other locations in Nigeria. To share the insightful knowledge that Nigerians have about friendship, participants took part in challenges where they had to provide answers to intimate and personal questions about their loved ones at the event.

    The competitions allowed participants to make calls to their unwitting friends who were meant to save them from ‘trouble’ in specified locations. Those who showed up to save their friends were subsequently rewarded with various gifts and cash prizes.